Young Achiever

Sponsored by Wales and West Utilities.

The Young Achiever category recognises outstanding achievement by a young person (under the age of 18) in any field, including but not confined to the fields referred to in the other award categories.

You can watch the video of the shortlisted nominees in the Young Achiever category below:

The nominees are:

Amirah and Ashraf Peckham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year (2013) with the support and encouragement of her brother Ashraf, Amirah Peckham climbed to the summit of the highest mountain in Africa – Kilimanjaro (5,895 m). Amirah suffers from cerebral palsy and is registered disabled. This is a condition where there is damage to the motor control centres of the brain and causes problems with abnormal muscle tone, reflexes, motor development and coordination. This means that any physical activity is a significant challenge. Each day starts with the trial of getting dressed.

At the time of the climb Amirah was 9 years old and Ashraf was 12 years old. Amirah is believed to be the youngest girl in the world to have climbed Kilimanjaro and the youngest person with a disability. This would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of her brother, who is also one of the youngest Britons to have climbed the mountain.

Hannah Provence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16-year-old Hannah Provence lives in Penarth with her two younger sisters and her mother. She has been a volunteer with St John Wales since she was 12, after she was treated for an eye injury by a St John Wales volunteer at the Penarth festival and the volunteer encouraged Hannah to join the organisation. During her three years with St John Wales Hannah has become fully first aid trained and has recently been named County Cadet for Cardiff and the Vale, meaning she now acts as a mentor and role model to other young volunteers in the area.

Hannah balances her commitment to St John Wales, studying for her GCSEs with being a young carer for her sister who has Down’s Syndrome, her mother also suffers from Atrial Fibrillation and migraines.  Later this year Hannah will receive the Commandant in Chief Award, one of the highest awards available to a St John Cadet, for acts of kindness.

Ebbi Rose Ferguson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In her first year at Coleg Sir Gâr Ebbi achieved the Student of the Year award, she works hard to balance all her commitments including being a Gold Young Sports Ambassador, where she is responsible for promoting the seven Olympic & Paralympic values being respect, friendship, personal excellence, courage, determination, equality and inspiration and uses these pillars. In November 2013, she was elected onto the National Union of Students’ Welsh National Executive Committee in a Further Education position. Later that month she was successful in my selection onto the Great Britain squad for canoe polo. Ebbi continues to succeed in all areas of her life and managed to balance her many commitments effectively